Apparatus for the erection of concrete buildings



Dec. 27, 1949 B. MILLER 2,492,171

APPARATUS FOR THE ERECTION OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS Filed Sept. 26, 1946 IN VEN TOR. BEA/14mm MIL L ER BY v K W ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 27, 1949 APPARATUS FOR THE ERECTION OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS I Benjamin Miller, Bronx, N. Y. 7

Application September 26, 1946, Serial No. 699,463

6 Claims.

This invention relates to concrete.

An object of the invention is to provide a form for pouring concrete in a horizontal plane, and having means for placing the finished slab in its desired position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a concrete pouring form which is so arranged as to be supported in a horizontal plane for pouring a slab, and is so arranged as to be turned out of a horizontal plane for emplacing the slab in a vertical final positionwithout the need for hoisting. t

A further object of the invention isto provide a form for pouring concrete slabs right on the building site, and in a horizontal plane, the form being supported ata point spaced from its centerof gravity so as to be normally biased toward tilting out of the horizontal plane, and being further provided with restraining .rneansl for holding the form horizontally until the concrete sets andthen for allowing it to gradually tilt into a vertical plane.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for casting concrete slabs and emplacing them'without the use of hoists or other similar apparatus.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a concrete slab casting device by means of which the finished slabs may, without being transported, be placed in a final position in a wall or floor of a building, and which device is characterized by simplicity of design, ease and low cost of operation, and effectiveness for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages of the inventhe slabs before they are emplaced in their final positions. The present invention discloses a detion will become apparent from the following Figure 1, but showing a modified form of the invention. a

In building construction employing preformed concrete slabs for the floors and walls, it is of considerable advantage for the slabs to be formed right on the site of the building, particularly in view of the saving in cost of transportation and handling. However, even when they are formed right at the job location, there is still considerable handling and movement of vice by means of which the slabs may be preformed and then set into their final positions in the walls or floors with a minimum of handling, and substantially no transportation of the finished slabs at all. v

Reference may now be had to the drawings, in which like reference characters denote similar parts throughout the several views. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, I provide a base member H! which may be ofwood or other material and is preferably of fairly substantial construction inasmuch as the entire device together with the cast concrete slab are supported thereby. The base It extends sufficiently to the right in Figure 1, to allow counterweights to be placed thereon if necessaryjto avoid tippi'ngj An upright tubularpost I2 is secured atitsfllower end M by welding or other suitable means to a flange member 16 securely carried upon the upper surface l8 of the base member 10.,

A second tubular member 20 has its lower end portion 22 bent vertically as shown, from the inclined main portion 24 of the member 20, and has its upper end portion 26 also bent at an angle from the main portion24. The lower'end 22 is securely inserted and preferably welded into a flange 28 which is bolted to the upper surface l8 of the base In in a manner similar to that of flange 16. The upper end 30 of the upright support post I2 is securely attached to the upper end 26 of the tubular member 20, preferably by welding as shown.

A lower bracket 32 has a tubular body portion 34 encircling the" support post 12 and slidable upwards and downwards upon the post. A pair of side plates 36 and 38 are welded to opposite sides of the tubular body portion 311 and are connected along their upper edges 40 by means of a shelf 42, shown best in Figure 2. The tubular post l2 has a numberof axially aligned pairs of lateral apertures 44 for the reception of positioning bolts 46 which are inserted through matching holes in opposite sides of the bracket 32 when the holes are in registry, there being sufficient apertures to permit positioning the lower bracket at any one of a number of possible locations along the length of the post 12.

An upper bracket 48, also has atubular body portion 50 which encircles the post l2 in the same fashion as the corresponding part of the lower bracket 32, being similarly movable longitudinally of the post. The upper bracket has a pair of side plates .52 and 54 which are Welded to opposite sides of the tubular body portion 50 and. they are connected along their upper edges 56 by means of a shelf 58, shown best in Figure 2. The upper bracket 48 is supportable in any desired location along the post I2 by means of a positioning bolt 60 which is inserted through any appropriate pair of apertures 44 in the post I2, the bracket resting upon the bolt. 7

A lateral p1ate' 62isi weldedito the upper surface of the shelf 58', the plate 62 being longer than the shelf and thus extending outward to.

either side thereof as best shown in Figure 2'. Cylindrical bearings 64 and 66 are supported'upon' the plate 62 with their axes horizontal and in alignment, the bearings being preferably welded to the plate at 68 along a portion of their outersurfaces.

The bearings 64 and 66 are adapted for the reception and pivotal support of a lateral shaft or rod Il1, whichextends through both bearings as seen in Figures 1i and 21' The shaft 'HJ' extends through apertures formed} in' the lower portion I2 ffa' concrete; slab casting form I4 which has a-platform indicated by the'line I6 with upstanding'side and end wa'lls'lfi and 80 extending above the'platformtoform an upwardly open recess into, which the, concrete may be poured and allowedto solidify 'i n' slab form, as defined by the shape of the recess;

It is' to be notedthatthe support shaft 3'0 extends through apertures in the casting form 14, which are, so; disposed" as, to bespaced from and tfojthe'right of the'center of "gravity of the casting forma'n'd its slab, the result being that the form andjslab are normallygr'avity'biased to tip over or pivot about thejshaft' It! to the left as seen in Figure, 1, that' is, in a counterclockwise direction. To prevent such tipping,. and to retain the castingform' in a horizontal position as shown in full lines in Fi ure 11a tie rope. or cable 82 has one end B'Asecurelytiedito a' stationary eye member 86 which isjfastenefdjtq the base I0, and has its: other. end 88 securely tied to an eye-bolt 90 projectingoiuf.ofitheside ofthe casting form as shown in Eigure 1, substantially precise leveling being accomplished by, means of the turn buckle 92. which is interposed'inthe cable 82 intermediateits n s Where the' casting form is of any substantial width,that, is, perpendicu1 ar. to the plane of the paper; asfseen inIFi'gurfe 1',-it' is apparent that the support shaft Ill; will be of, substantial length in order to support the cas'ting form, and that more than one set of supports for theshaft ID will be employed, to sup'DTort it at several points along its length.

In use, with thec'asting form in horizontal position as shown in Figure-1,.- the concrete is poured into the recess in the form and allowed to harden. Then, ifthe slab, isjto be part of a vertibal walLituwill benecessaryj'to emplace the slab 'eav ri al osition; either. up n a foundation. riu lo n the slabs. uch asini nn s n indie at idi y the'dot 'n'esiatfilq This. may be a i m ishedj ym. y i rn n'g ue central portion of-thegturnbuckle 92 tolengjthen thecable 82, thereby allowing the gravity biased concrete-form t'oj tiltjor' pivotgraduallYtothe left or counterclockwise asisseen in rigor-e1, until it is finally ina verticalrpps'ition and to the left of the upri ht suppo t posit I2- To allow-the sla 'inthe form to be lowered into Pos tio h chme i h t lower. end 96 see-reckon is provided; the base- I02" f the" jack resting upon 4 the lower shelf 42 and the upper end of the vertically movable jack plunger I04 being moved upwards beneath the upper shelf 58 so as to elevate the upper shelf slightly, permitting the bolt 60 to be withdrawn whereupon the jack supports the upper bracket, the shaft I0 and the entire casting form and slab therein.

The jack plunger I04.is then-lowered, carrying with it the upper, bracket, shaft 10 and casting form and slab, and the lowering of the plunger is continued until the slab is in the desired position. Suitable means, not shown, will necessarily be employedfor opening out the form wall and for retaining the slab within the form as it is i being. lowered into position. It will also be apparent that the process may be performed automatically without turning the central portion of the turnbuckle and without changing the length of the cable 82 at all. Thus, the hardened slab and its form may be lowered by means ofthe jack I 00, and the-b'oltfill liaving'beenfirst removed as already-described. Then continued lowering of the jack: plunger will causethe angle between the horizontal baseIIlandt'he cable 82 to be'progressively decreased, causingthe upper-end 88 of the cable to swingto theleit under the influence offt'he-thus; unbalanced-weight of the form and slab, and allowing theslab and form to pivot gradually and automatically'about' the shaft ID to vertical position shown ingdotted lines, from which itcan be loweredintofinal positionas desired.

A modified form of theinvention' is shown in Figure 3, and this has particular utility in connection,with-the-handlingof concrete slabs which are to form sections of a floor, that. is, which are to be installed in horizontal position. The form shown has partslwhich are similar to those shown inFigures 1 and12; including a base such as at I0, and'tubular. supports I2 and20; It" also has a bracket I06 similar to'lower bracket 32, and an upper bracket I08 similar to upper bracket 48, the upper bracket being movable, upon an extension tube I I0 protruding upwardly'out of the uppper end of the support I2;and supported therein, the tube I II! *having apertures I I2...

The upper bracket I08 is supported by a bolt I similarly to; bolt 60', in Figure 1, and similarly supports the shaft. 10 which pivotally supports the castingformlli, Tie ropes'or cables I I6 and III; are tied at their upper ends to eyebolts I20 protruding out'of-Itheside walls of the casting form, and are tied. atth'eir lower ends. to the eye number I22 attached to post II2, thus retaining thecasting forminhorizontalposition; After. the concrete. slab has,set',iand. hardened, a jack Ill!) supported on the lowenbracketI 0 6 similarly tothat Shown in Figuresll and .2" for, bracket 32, has its plunger moved" upwards to elevate the upper bracket. I 08. above the. .bolt I I4,. the upward-movement of the jack being. continued until the form and slab, are at the proper height for emplacement, whereuponitheiormmay many suitable manner be sufiicientlyvremoved toallow: the slab to be, emplacedr Any suitable well knowngtype ofanchor bolts may be employed to prevent the concreteform from sliding ofitheform, when. tilting the same, as described in connection with Figs.- 1 and-2 f'ormof my invention;

Itisalso-noted: that in the- F'igs. land 2 form; in accordance with my invention, when the slab 94 .has been tilted; to vertical' position, as 7 shown in. dotted-glines, suitableiconcrete, blocking. B- of any well known and: method-:1 may be used under the bottom edge 96.

Although I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in size, shape, materials and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A concrete construction device comprising a frame, upper bracket means carried by said frame, lateral shaft means carried by said upper bracket means, a concrete slab form pivotally carried upon said shaft means, said form being normally horizontal and adapted for being filled with concrete which upon hardening therein forms a slab, means for maintaining said form in horizontal position, lower bracket means carried by said frame, lifting means carried by said lower bracket means and operative to elevate and lower said upper bracket means, whereby upon lowering of said lifting means, said form and slab are pivotally moved into a vertical plane, and upon further lowering thereof slab is lowered into a final position upon a portion of a building or the like.

2. A concrete construction device comprising a frame, upper bracket means carried by said frame, a lateral shaft pivotally carried by said upper bracket means, a concrete slab form pivotally carried along a line lying to one side of its center of gravity upon said shaft, said form being normally horizontal and adapted for being filled with fluid concrete mixture which upon hardening therein forms a slab, cable means at-- tached at one end to said frame and at the other end to said form at a point on the other side of its center of gravity from said pivotal support whereby said form is normally held in horizontal position and restrained against pivotal movement, lower bracket means carried below said upper bracket means upon said frame, jack means supportable upon said lower bracket means and having its movable plunger disposed below the upper bracket, whereby upon upward motion of said plunger said upper bracket means may be elevated and said upper bracket supported by said plunger and released from direct support by said frame, and whereby upon downward motion of said plunger said upper bracket means is lowered thereby automatically and gradually releasing the restraint imposed by said cable means against pivotal motion of the form and allowing the form and slab automatically to pivot to a vertical plane, whereby upon continued downward motion of said plunger said slab may be lowered into final position upon a portion of a building.

3. A concrete construction device comprising a frame, an upward extension carried by said frame, lower bracket means carried by said frame, upper bracket means carried by said extension, a lateral shaft pivotally carried by said upper bracket means, a concrete form pivotally carried upon said upper bracket, cable means for maintaining said form in normally horizontal position whereby concrete mix may be poured into the form and allowed to harden to form a slab, and elevating means carried by said lower bracket means and operative upon said upper bracket means whereby upon operation of said lifting means said upper bracket means is elevated thus elevating said form and slab into a final horizontal position upon a portion of a building or the like.

4. A concrete construction device according to :claim 1 in which the said upper and lower bracket means are mounted for relative movement along the frame.

5. A concrete construction device according to claim 2 in which said frame comprises a tubular upright member, and in which said upper and lower bracket means each include a tubular portion through which said tubular upright member passes.

6. A concrete construction device according to claim 5 in which openings are provided in said tubular upright member spaced along the length thereof and in which corresponding openings are provided in said tubular portions of said upper and lower bracket means, and in which the position of said upper and lower bracket means may be selectively maintained on said tubular upright member by inserting a holding pin in one of said openings in said tubular upright member.

BENJAMIN MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,023,349 Aiken Apr. 16, 1912 1,148,246 Marvin July 27, 1915 1,563,798 Sargeant Dec. 1, 1925 1,773,454 Fowler Aug. 19, 1930 

